It’s officially fall which means the Halloween countdown is officially on, and while you may be balancing what Halloween events to hit this month or spending your time visiting NYC’s most extravagantly decorated neighborhoods, you might as well add a haunted house to your list!
Nothing’s quite scarier than walking through a dark mansion and facing ghoulish demons and gory characters, and NYC and its surrounding areas have some great options for you. Are you ready? Get ready to let out some screams and feel your bones chill as you walk through these terrifying adventures!
1. A Haunting in Hollis, Queens
Rated the #1 haunted house experience in the Tri-State area, so obviously a go-to on the list of haunted houses in NYC, what makes A Haunting in Hollis so unique is that it’s actually set up in a residential neighborhood. Yes, that’s right! This home is transformed into the scariest house in Queens all throughout the month of October.
Inside you’ll come face to face with gory actors waiting to jump out and terrorize you, and you’ll have to escape mazes, evade zombies, and confront chaos in a terrifying lab. Plus you can even wield zombie laser guns to vanquish ghouls! Get tickets to this nightmarish experience here.
📍 21117 Hollis Avenue, Queens
2. Headless Horseman Haunted Attractions, Ulster Park
Although the Headless Horseman haunted house is around 2.5 hours out of NYC, it’s worth a fall roadtrip to take the Upstate journey. They have multiple haunted houses here that you can choose from, meaning you can spend hours exploring the horrifying estate.
Try walking through “Glutton’s Diner and Slaughter House” attraction without getting scared, or even surviving their blood-curdling “The Lunar Motel” in one piece. They have other less-scary activities too, and although it’s out of the city, it’s a must-hit if you love Halloween. Read more here.
📍 778 Broadway, Ulster Park, NY
3. TerrorVision Haunted House, Midtown
Brand new to the collection of haunted houses in NYC as of last year, TerrorVision is once again ready to take you on a twisting and dark journey through the film set of Bobby Castle’s new TerrorVison Halloween episode.
This 20,000 square foot haunted house is more like three houses in one, in which the audience becomes the star of the show. Learn more about it here, and get ready to uncover some mysterious secrets.
📍 300 W. 43rd Street
4. Nightmare Dollhouse, LES
Nightmare Dollhouse is one of the creepiest haunted houses in NYC and pretty much everyone’s worst nightmare–the dolls have come to life and want to make you one of them! All you have to do is escape with your soul intact, or you’ll succumb to the evil found in the house.
Compared to other haunted houses, this one focuses heavily on a plot and storyline as you navigate your way through the experience. It’s in Lower East Side and is filled with intensity and emotion. Do you have what it takes to reach the end? Learn more about it here.
📍 107 Suffolk Street
5. Bayville Scream Park, Bayville, NY
Baville Scream Park on Long Island is agonizing, breath-taking, and straight up scary. Whether you decide to try and escape the “Bloodworth Haunted Mansion” or the “Bayville Asylum,” these are only a few of the mind-twisting immersions you can pick from here.
Along with their scary haunted houses, they also have other fun activities like mini golf, axe throwing, and spooky cocktail bars. No matter your age or fear tolerance, you’ll find something that will properly spook you out. Learn more here.
📍 8 Bayville Avenue, Bayville, NY
6. Pure Terror Scream Park, Monroe, NY
Lastly, Pure Terror Scream Park actually holds a Guinness World Record for the longest walk-through haunted attraction in the world, and that’s why it makes our list. They have 13 haunted attractions which are all equally horrifying, including the new “Jungle Rot” which is new this year.
Battle everyone from vampires to clowns to zombies as you work your way around the park that will leave you with nightmares. The park is about 2 hours from NYC but we definitely recommend it if you can swing it. Learn more about it here!
📍 1010 NY-17M, Monroe, NY